Save Me
by Ryoko-hime
Summary: Shizuru makes a choice. Natsuki tries to stop her
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** - I don't own any of the characters from Mai Hime. They are owned by Sunrise

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><p><strong>Save Me<br>**

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><p>Shizuru cocked the gun and pressed the muzzle up against the side of her head.<p>

Natsuki felt the very air in her body rush out and all the blood in her face drained, leaving her pale and shaking.

"Shizuru..._Shizuru_...what are you doing?" Natsuki licked her lips, her mouth gone dry with fear for her loved one.

"I-I'm sorry, Natsuki...I...I've tried _so_ hard to be with you without letting...all the memories consume me. There is so much blood...so much screaming...they begged for their lives, Natsuki. But I just cut them all down. Without a thought. Without mercy. I can still hear their screams and cries in my sleep. I can still feel their blood slick against my hands and skin. I can still smell all the death and destruction I unleashed as I sought vengeance. How can you even still stand to look at me, Natsuki? How can you..._love_ the monster that I am?" Shizuru asked in a voice that cracked and shook with deep-seated agony.

Natsuki felt her heart break at the voice, and she raised her trembling hand and took a shaky step towards her hurting soulmate.

"Shizuru, I forgave you for all of that a _very_ long time ago. I am fully aware and fully understand and accept that you did it all for me...you do everything...for me. Even when it will end up hurting you yourself terribly...you will dash yourself against the rocks if you think it will be the best for me. But Shizuru..." and here Natsuki took another trembling step forward, her jade-coloured eyes never leaving the tear-strewn scarlet eyes of her love. Shizuru's hand shook lightly, the muzzle of the gun twitching against the chestnut locks Natsuki, on a normal day, enjoyed running her fingers through.

Today was not a normal day.

"Shizuru...I don't want you to suffer anymore. Not for me. I _never_ did. And baby...if you will just _put the gun down_, I will make sure to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you. How much you don't have to keep suffering in silence. I want us to share our lives _together_. As equals. Please Shizuru, give me a chance to make all this right. Please give me the chance...to save _you_." Natsuki was so very close now, her fingers were almost touching the stray wisps of chestnut curls that floated loosely about Shizuru's head.

"Natsuki..." Shizuru whispered in a broken voice, as her hand slowly began to lower the gun.

Natsuki was even closer now...just a few more inches...

_Closer..._

_Closer..._

And she got it.

Natsuki's violently-trembling hand closed around the gun, and her thumb slipped the hammer back into place, un-cocking the gun, and narrowly averting the most horrific thing imaginable to her from happening.

Shizuru fell sobbing into Natsuki's arms, her shaking hands clutching the front of Natsuki's shirt, as she buried her face against the dark-haired girl's chest.

Natsuki felt tears slip down her face as she protectively wrapped her arms tightly around Shizuru's convulsing form, and the two of them slipped slowly towards the ground.

"I will _never_ leave you, baby. I will never allow you to be hurt. So please, Shizuru..._please_...don't ever try to leave me like that again. I couldn't...I just couldn't take it. I'd have to follow immediately after you, and I'd rather we lived. Lived for each other...lived for the strength and love we inspire in one another. So always stay by my side, because I will always stay by yours." Natsuki placed soft, adoring kisses atop Shizuru's head and continued to whisper tender, loving words to her shaking partner.

Shizuru looked up at Natsuki with burgundy-coloured eyes that shone with tears, sadness, guilt, shame, but most importantly to Natsuki, acceptance and love.

"Okay, Natsuki...I promise I will **never** attempt such a thing again. I will never choose to leave my Natsuki's side by my own hand again. I will remain with you for the rest of my life, if that is what Natsuki truly desires."

Natsuki tenderly cupped Shizuru's face in her hands, and leaned down to kiss Shizuru's soft lightly-salty with tears lips as her answer. Shizuru's breath hitched softly, and she gripped the front of Natsuki's shirt tighter as she returned Natsuki's kiss with all that she had.

"I love you, Shizuru. Always have and always will. Please continue to take care of my heart, as I will always love and support yours." Natsuki gently placed feather-soft kisses all over Shizuru's face.

"Always and forever, my Natsuki. I will love and be with you...always and forever."

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><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> I've always felt that Shizuru would have a _lot_ of mental issues and hang-ups, with everything that went down with First District after the Carnival was over. This was just a little idea I had of how things could have played out between her and Natsuki afterward ^^

Hope you guys liked~


	2. Chapter 2

Natsuki gently and tenderly nuzzled her face against Shizuru's chestnut locks, her arms wrapped tightly and protectively around the sleeping girl as they lay together in their bed.

Shizuru had certainly given her the fright of her life earlier. She had never known that the other girl had been suffering in silence so much and for so long. Natsuki resolved to do everything within her power to help her love overcome the obvious demons she had inside. She wouldn't allow Shizuru to suffer alone anymore.

Natsuki tenderly stroked her fingers through Shizuru's hair, and only started slightly when Shizuru shifted softly in her arms, and slowly opened her eyes. Shizuru gave Natsuki a soft, sleepy smile before she whispered softly, "hey."

Natsuki lovingly stroked her thumb down Shizuru's cheek, and smiled back softly as she replied, "hey you. Do you feel any better?"

Shizuru closed her eyes and hummed softly for a few seconds, as she stretched her body lightly while still being held tightly in Natsuki's embrace. She then reopened her crimson-coloured eyes, and smiled back at Natsuki as she nodded softly.

"Yes...for the first time in a very long time I'm feeling...better. Natsuki came to me and saved me when I was at my lowest point. When all my rationality and senses had finally left me. I'm...sorry for having put Natsuki through such a situation. I just...I...I just couldn't see anything more before me but the screams, the blood, the death. I couldn't get them all out of my mind. I couldn't make it all stop. I couldn't...see Natsuki anymore...and all I wanted was just to make it all stop. To make it all quiet again...I'm so sorry again Natsuki. I love you so so very much, and I...I regret for making you almost a party to my torment. For almost bringing horrible pain to my Natsuki." Shizuru leaned up slightly, and gently pressed her lips against Natsuki's warm ones.

Natsuki made a small sound and leaned into the kiss, tasting the sweetness that was her love over and over again, letting her know in unspoken words that she understood and forgave her. Softly...slowly...they finally parted and lay gazing tenderly into each others eyes, silently communicating all that they felt for one another.

Finally Natsuki lifted one of Shizuru's delicate hands up to her lips and softly kissed the back of it, before lightly resting it on her chest against her steadily beating heart.

"Shizuru, remember what I said to you earlier. That I will _always_ be by your side, and that I will never leave you? I also want you to know that you can always come to me about _anything_. I will _never_ shun you or look down on you, or turn away and reject you. So if you ever..._ever._..have such powerful negative feelings again, just come to me...okay baby...just come to me," Natsuki leaned in and gently kissed Shizuru's temple.

Shizuru felt tears fill her eyes and gently tumble down her cheeks, as she let out a quivering breath of air and nodded at Natsuki, her voice too shaky to make a verbal reply.

Natsuki smiled with satisfaction and snuggled down into the covers with Shizuru still held tightly in her arms, gently turning off the bedside lamp as she did so, throwing their bedroom into quiet darkness.

A gentle calm settled over the two before a soft voice tenderly called out.

"I love you, Natsuki."

An answering call soon came.

"I love you too, Shizuru."

A content sigh. Comfort and peace claimed. And two souls slipped softly into sleep's embrace, holding tightly onto one another.

_Never to let go._


End file.
